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    Christian de Portzamparc wraps Dior flagship store with “resin shells” in Geneva

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    Six interweaving “petals” encase the facade of Dior’s store in Geneva, Switzerland, which has been designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner Christian de Portzamparc.

    The Dior store’s expressive facade elements echo those of its Seoul flagship store – also designed by French architect De Portzamparc – that similarly draws on fabrics used for Dior’s creations.
    Six interweaving “petals” wrap around the store’s facade”Between these veils, the glass walls let the sun’s rays penetrate in a captivating interplay of light and shade, a poetic dialogue between the inside and outside,” Dior said.
    “At night, the lighting appears to filter – through the elegant resin shells – transforming the building into a majestic urban lantern.”
    Display cases line the facade at street level. Photo by Serge de PortzamparcThe facade elements rise up from the building’s base widening at their centres before tapering towards the building’s roof.

    Behind them, floor to ceiling openings wrap around the building – revealing the building’s six floors and providing views into the interiors. Additionally, a series of display cases decorate the facade at street level.

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    Inside, the spaces were finished with neutral-toned surfaces and wood panelling, which is set off by the colours and patterns of Dior’s spring-summer 2024 collection.
    Built in display cases fitted with sleek shelves and glass cabinets line the interior spaces and are illuminated by gallery-style lighting fixtures.
    Plush seating decorates the boutique’s interior and is coupled with consoles made by Berlin-based Stefan Leo Atelier and tables by Anglo-Brazilian designer Hamrei.
    Neutral-toned surfaces and wood panelling feature on the interior”The rooms combine airy dimensions with the intimacy of hushed cocoons and reveal artisanal finishes,” said the brand.
    “Adorned in touches of ivory and gold, with hints of white and blue enhanced by the naturalness of the wood.”
    Floor to ceiling openings wrap around the buildingDe Portzamparc was awarded the Pritzker Prize in 1994 and became the first French architect to receive the prestigious architecture award.
    Other recently completed flagship stores include a marble “immersive experience” for APL’s flagship store in New York City and Huawei’s store in Shanghai with a “petal-like” facade.
    Other fashion brand stores that have recently opened include a “sensual” boutique in Milan designed by Vincent Van Duysen for fashion house Ferragamo and a boutique decorated with hand-painted murals by Cúpla for fashion brand Rixo in central London.
    The photography is by Jonathan Taylor unless otherwise stated.

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      Japanese patchwork technique informs interior of Sando burger bar in Geneva

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      Sapid Studio aimed to keep as much of the original fit-out as possible during this renovation project, which saw the Swiss design firm turn one burger restaurant in Geneva, Switzerland, into the home of another.

      The new burger joint, named Sando after the Japanese word for sandwich, is located near the waterfront in Rive Gauche and serves burgers infused with Japanese flavours such as teriyaki tamago and miso bacon.
      Sapid Studio designed the interiors of the Sando burger joint in GenevaSince the space was originally designed for a similar establishment, Sapid Studio made no changes to the layout.
      Instead, founders Cecile-Diama Samb and Michael Piderit took a retrofit-first approach inspired by the Japanese craft of boro, which involves repeatedly mending and stitching together textiles to create a multi-layered patchwork.
      The studio retained the existing tiled flooring and the barIn this spirit, the studio retained the interior’s original bar – simply re-finishing it in brushed and corrugated stainless steel – and patched up the existing tiled flooring.

      The millwork of the previous restaurant was dismantled and repurposed to form wainscoting and a table-height counter running along the window front, designed to resemble those found in Japanese ramen shops.
      The original millwork was repurposed into window counters and wall panels”All efforts were made to make the most impactful change to the space while minimising the amount of wasted material,” Sapid Studio co-founders Cecile-Diama Samb and Michael Piderit told Dezeen.
      “It is the re-working of an existing element, stitched together with surgical demolition, alterations and additions, that creates the unique patchwork that is Sando.”

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      Most literally, the boro technique is reflected in the tapestries that hang in rows from the walls and ceilings, made from reclaimed textiles by local upcycling workshop Lundi Piscine.
      Stitched onto a translucent open-weave tarlatan backing, these feature fragments of bright yellow letters that spell out Sando in both English and Japanese.
      Translucent tapestries by Lundi Piscine decorate the walls and ceilingsBirchwood is featured liberally throughout the interior and was finished in three different stains for contrast, as seen in the bar stools that line up along the steel-clad counter to form a subtle gradient.
      The two lighter stains were also used to create a colour-block effect across the wall panelling and the window counter. Here, diners can sit on aluminium stools by Danish brand Frama that were chosen to match the brushed metal counter.
      Recycled plastic stools provide more seating in the backAnother seating area at the back of the space sees simple off-white metal tables paired with speckled stools made from recycled plastic by Normann Copenhagen.
      Apart from the tapestries, the only other wall decoration is provided by several bespoke prints from Swiss illustrator Kristell Silva Tancun, depicting classic Japanese art motifs remixed with burgers, fries and fast food items.
      The restaurant serves burgers infused with Japanese flavoursOther well-designed burger joints include PNY Citadium in Paris, which has a sunset-hued interior informed by the roadside diners of America’s West Coast, and Noma’s burger spinoff POPL in Copenhagen.
      The photography is by Alicia Dubuis.

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